By Lisa Hamilton

EXPERIENCED politician of 40 years, Manzoor Nadir, was elected Speaker of the National Assembly for the 12th Parliament on Tuesday. Nadir, a former minister of labour, was nominated by Prime Minister, Mark Phillips and seconded by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira.

He is an economist by profession and possesses a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Manchester through a Scholarship by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. He also has a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Alberta.

Delivering brief remarks after taking his oath, Nadir said that he accepts the nomination humbly and with gratitude and looks forward to being impartial, fair and just while upholding the rule of law.

“As Guyana continues to transition into a vibrant and stronger democracy within an emerging oil economy, it is of utmost importance that this 12th Parliament is effective, successful and exemplary,” he stated.

The speaker added that though COVID-19 prevents meeting in the actually Parliament building, he is committed to working with all sides of the House to ensure that this 12th Parliament is inscribed in the history of Guyana.

He also reminded Members of Parliament (MPs) that their constituencies entrusted them with their future and rely on them to be their voices in the House. He said: “As you took your oaths today, I urge you to always be accessible to your constituency and to uphold your vows to the people of Guyana.”

Nadir has also served as the former leader of The United Force (TUF) in the Cabinet of the PPP government for 10 years, during which time he held the position of minister of labour from 2001 to 2011.

During his previous parliamentary stints, he piloted several bills and acts and served on many parliamentary committees. Among the bills piloted were the Guyana Tourism Authority Act, the Investment Act, the Small Business Act, the Competition and Fair-Trading Act and the Consumer Protection Bill.

Subsequent to his remarks, he spoke alone with media operatives,, telling them that he intends to “raise the bar” of operations in Parliament to international best standards. He also said that he would ensure that every MP is given the respect he/she deserves.

Questioned on how he intends to the manage the proceedings of the National Assembly without swaying to one side over the other, Nadir said: “When you sit in the Speaker’s chair you have to exercise the highest level of tolerance, fairness, impartiality, decency and I think I have that within me.”

WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE

Vice-president Bharrat Jagdeo also threw his support behind Nadir earlier when he told reporters: “We thought Mr. Nadir brings a wealth of experience as a parliamentarian and I think he understands the necessity of moving our national agenda forward.”

Meanwhile, Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) and Leader of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), Lenox Shuman was elected deputy speaker. He is the first person of Indigenous heritage to hold the position.

He was nominated by Prime Minister Mark Phillips and seconded by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira. Shuman is the first representative of three partiers which joined their lists prior to polling day to secure their presence in the National Assembly.

Together, the parties gained 5,214 votes at the elections with the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) gaining 2,657 votes; A New and United Guyana (ANUG) securing 2,313 votes; and The New Movement (TNM) gaining 244, pushing the parties over the required mark.

Shuman was toshao for his village St. Cuthbert’s Mission in Region Four and served as vice- chairman of the National Toshaos Council. He formally entered politics in 2019, forming the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and contesting the March 2, 2020 elections as its presidential candidate.

Though former Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, nominated former Speaker of the House and fellow AFC member Raphael Trotman to the post, the votes for Shuman outnumbered Trotman’s.

In Guyana’s Parliament, the deputy speaker is elected in a similar manner to the speaker, except that the speaker, if present, presides over the elections. The deputy speaker replaces the speaker when the latter is unavoidably absent.